Richie Sambora Among the Honorees of This Year’s Golden Heart Award

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Grammy award-winning artist Richie Sambora is scheduled to receive the 2012 Golden Heart Award given by The Midnight Mission on May 7th, 2012. Other winners include Marketing Director for the Fender Guitar Corporation, Del Breckenfeld and his wife, Bettina. The award honors upstanding citizens for their dedication to improving the lives of Skid Row’s growing homeless population.

The Golden Heart Awards

Richie Sambora: I have a profound respect for the Midnight Mission. I'm inspired by the work they do day in and day out. I'm proud to be affiliated with such a solution-minded outreach program.

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Celebrities and guests will gather for the 12th annual Golden Heart Award ceremony, silent auction, and reception at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on May 7th. This year’s award recipients are Bon Jovi’s lead guitarist, Richie Sambora, and marketing directors for Fender, Del and Bettina Breckenfeld. The event is organized by The Midnight Mission, Los Angeles’ top homeless shelter and outreach program.

No stranger to humanitarian efforts, this year’s recipients reach far and wide to help those in need. Sambora has partnered with several other charitable organizations, in addition to The Midnight Mission, and has performed at former Golden Heart Awards ceremonies. Sambora said of the award, "I have a profound respect for the Midnight Mission. I'm inspired by the work they do day in and day out. I'm proud to be affiliated with such a solution-minded outreach program. For the betterment of our community, I gladly contribute whenever I'm able to lend my support to the cause. To have the Midnight Mission recognize me with this award is humbling and an incredible honor."

Bettina Breckenfeld is treasurer of The Unforgettables Foundation that helps low-income families face the emotional and financial trauma of losing a child.

Founded in 1914, The Midnight Mission has spent nearly a century creating outreach programs and services to help keep the homeless off Skid Row and reintegrate them by offering job training and placement, medical care, addiction recovery, counseling, food, shelter, and water. A place for people with no other options, the shelter offers them a bridge back into society. Larry Adamson, President and CEO of The Midnight Mission, says the organization considers it an honor to award this year’s recipients for their continued support of the program and for the empathy and respect they demonstrate toward people in need.

Kevin Frazier of The Insider will host this year’s gala and environmentalist and actor Ed Begley Jr. is Master of Ceremonies. Joining him will be Dick Van Dyke and Debi Mazar, who will serve as honorary chairs. Other celebrities attending include Paulie Perratte of NCIS, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Gary Moore, Cynthia Fox of KLOS, Dave Stewart of the Eurhythmics, and retired Los Angeles Kings captain, Luc Robitaille.

The reception and silent auction will begin at 6 P.M., followed by dinner and the awards ceremony at 7 P.M. All proceeds benefit The Midnight Mission.

For more information or tickets please visit http://www.midnightmission.org, click on Gala, then on Registration. Individual tickets and corporate tables are available. You may also call Karen at (213) 553.2329.